Radon is recognized as a powerful tracer of certain geophysical processes in marine and aquatic environments. In the past few decades, the instruments and methods for measuring radon concentration in water have been developed to some extent but still lack underwater in-situ measurements. Here we present an in-situ detection equipment for radon-in-water (pulsed ionization chamber (PIC)-radon) to measure dissolved radon in ocean and groundwater settings. The equipment has been successfully deployed in the Jiaozhou Bay in July 2022 and has achieved 14 d of unattended underwater in-situ observation. Then it was successfully placed in a groundwater monitoring well in the Laizhou Bay in November 2022 and monitored radon activities for over 30 d. The results showed that this instrument had a good indication of submarine groundwater discharge. The PIC-radon detector takes advantage of smaller size, lower power consumption, and is barely influenced by humidity, making it particularly suitable for long-term in-situ measurement, especially in harsh environments with limited human care or deployment spaces.

Radon (Rn) is a naturally occurring radioactive inert gas in nature, and ²²²Rn has been routinely used as a powerful tracer in various aquatic environmental research on timescales of hours to days, such as submarine groundwater discharge. Here we developed a new approach to measure ²²²Rn in discrete water samples with a wide range of ²²²Rn concentrations using a Pulsed Ionization Chamber (PIC) Radon Detector. The sensitivity of the new PIC system is evaluated at 6.06 counts per minute for 1 Bq/L when a 500 mL water sample volume is used. A robust logarithmic correlation between sample volumes, ranging from 250 mL to 5000 mL, and system sensitivity obtained in this study strongly suggests that this approach is suitable for measuring radon concentration levels in various natural waters. Compared to the currently available methods for measuring radon in grab samples, the PIC system is cheaper, easier to operate and does not require extra accessories (e.g., drying tubes etc.) to maintain stable measurements throughout the counting procedure.

A high-frequency, high-resolution shore-based video monitoring system (VMS) was installed on a macrotidal (tidal amplitude >4 m) beach with multiple cusps along the Quanzhou coast, China. Herein, we propose a video imagery-based method that is coupled with waterline and water level observations to reconstruct the terrain of the intertidal zone over one tidal cycle. Furthermore, the beach cusp system (BCS) was precisely processed and embedded into the digital elevation model (DEM) to more effectively express the microrelief and detailed characteristics of the intertidal zone. During a field experiment conducted in January 2022, the reconstructed DEM was deemed satisfactory. The DEM was verified by RTK-GPS and had an average vertical root mean square error along corresponding RTK-GPS-derived intertidal profiles and corresponding BCS points of 0.134 m and 0.065 m, respectively. The results suggest that VMSs are an effective tool for investigating coastal geomorphic processes.

The clay mineralogy of 28 sandy-muddy transitional beach (SMT-Beach) sediments and surrounding mountain river sediments along the coasts of southeastern China was systematically investigated to reveal the sediment source-to-sink process variations of such beaches and their morphological indications. The results show that the clay mineral assemblages of these SMT-Beaches mainly comprise of almost equal illite (~30%), kaolinite (~28%), chlorite (~22%), and smectite (~20%) contents. From the surrounding mountain rivers to the SMT-Beaches, clay mineral assemblages show distinct spatial changes characterized by a large decrease (~40%) in kaolinite, whereas the other three clay minerals present relative increases, especially clear for smectite. The muddy sediment sources of SMT-Beaches inferred from the clay mineralogy are mainly derived from nearby mountain rivers coupled with long-distance transport and penetration of the Changjiang River. The sandy sediments of these beaches are predominantly sourced from nearby mountain rivers, the weathering products of surrounding rocks in both mainland and island environments, and erosion of the “Old Red Sand” and “Red Soil Platform”. However, the sandy sediment sources of the SMT-Beaches are largely reduced because of the remarkable decrease in the river fluvial supply associated with intensive human activities such as dam construction and coastal reclamation. Subsequently, the sandy sections of SMT-Beaches present clear erosion and have revealed by both time series remote sensing images and a compilation of published literature. In contrast, the muddy sediment supply of SMT-Beaches is temporarily stable and relatively constant, resulting in the landward migration of the mudflats with relative transgression or accumulation. These findings highlight that the natural evolution processes of SMT-Beaches have been greatly reshaped by intensive human activities.

Extreme storm events in coastal zones play significant roles in shaping the morphology of boulder beaches. However, boulder displacement and the geomorphological evolution of boulder beaches driven by different extreme storm events, especially typhoon events, remain poorly understood. Thus, boulder displacement and the geomorphic response on a boulder beach in Fujian, southeastern China, were explored before, during and after a cold wave event (Dec. 1–7, 2020) and before and after Typhoon In-Fa (Jul. 19–27, 2021), a large tropical storm. This was achieved by tracking 42 tagged boulders distributed in the intertidal and supratidal zones using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and topographic surveys using real-time kinematic techniques, respectively. The results showed obvious disparities in boulder displacement in different geomorphic zones due to cold wave and typhoon events that were mainly characterized by migration magnitude, range, direction, and mode of transport. The typhoon event led to rapid and substantial changes in the overall morphology of the boulder beach, while the cold wave event impacted the intertidal morphology of the boulder beach to only a small extent. The surrounding structure of boulders, beach slope and beach elevation had a combined dominant effect on boulder displacement under the same extreme event. Hydrodynamic factors (effective wave energy fluxes, incident wave direction, storm surge and water level) had dominant effects on boulder displacement during different extreme events. In terms of a single event, the magnitude of the boulder displacement driven by the typhoon was much greater than that driven by the cold wave. However, considering the frequency and duration of cold waves in winter, the impact of multiple consecutive cold waves on the geomorphology of the boulder beach cannot be ignored in this study area. Alternating and repeated interactions between these two processes constitute the complete geomorphic evolution of the boulder beach. This study contributes to improved predictions of the morphodynamic response of boulder beaches to future storms, especially large tropical storms, and facilitates better coastal management.

The persistence and habitability of coral reef islands in future extreme oceanographic conditions has received increasing attention in the recent decade, concerning that the sea level rise (SLR) and more frequent and intense storms in the context of global climate change are expected to destabilize those islands. Here, we conduct a set of wave-flume laboratory experiments focusing on the morphodynamic change of reef islands to varying ocean forcing conditions (wave height and SLR). Subsequently, a phase-resolving XBeach numerical model is adopted to simulate the monochromatic wave process and its associated sediment dynamics. The adopted model is also firstly validated by laboratory experimental results as reported in this study. It is then used to examine the impacts of island morphological factors (island width, island height, island location and island side slope) on the island migration. The combined laboratory/physical and numerical experiment outputs suggest that reef islands can accrete vertically in response to the sea level rise and the increased storminess.

Beach erosion has occurred globally in recent decades due to frequent and severe storms. Dongsha beach, located in Zhujiajian Island, Zhejiang Province, China, is a typical embayed sandy beach. This study focused on the morphodynamic response of Dongsha beach to typhoon events, based on beach topographies and surficial sediment characteristics acquired before and after four typhoon events with varying intensities. The four typhoons had different effects on the topography and sediment characteristics of Dongsha beach. Typhoons Ampil and Danas caused the largest (−51.72 m³/m) and the smallest erosion (−8.01 m³/m), respectively. Remarkable alongshore patterns of beach profile volumetric changes were found after the four typhoon events, with more erosion in the southern and central parts of the beach and few changes in the northern part. Grain size coarsening and poor sorting were the main sediment patterns on the beach influenced by different typhoons. Typhoons that occurred in the same year after another typhoon enhanced the effect of the previous typhoon on sediment coarsening and sorting variability, but this cumulative effect was not found between typhoons that occurred during different years. A comparison of the collected data revealed that the topographic state of the beach before the typhoon, typhoon characteristics, and tidal conditions were possible reasons for the difference in the responses of Dongsha beach to typhoon events. More severe beach erosion was caused by typhoons with higher intensity levels and longer durations, and high tide levels during typhoons can determine the upper limit of the beach profile erosion site. Taken together, these results can be used to improve beach management for storm prevention.

As one of the main areas of tropical storm action in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, South China experiences several typhoons each year, and coastal erosion is a problem, making the area a natural testing ground for studying the dynamic geomorphological processes and storm response of promontory-straight coasts. This study is based on three years of topographic data and remote sensing imagery of Gulei Beach and uses topographic profile morphology, single width erosion-accretion and mean change, combined with the Coastsat model to quantify the seasonal and interannual variability and storm response of the beach and to explain the evolution of shoreline change and beach dynamics geomorphology in the last decade. Gulei Beach has been in a state of overall erosion and local accretion for a long time, with relatively obvious cyclical changes; seasonal changes are also obvious, which are mainly characterized by summer accretion and winter erosion, with accretion at the top of the bay and accretion and erosion on the north and south sides of the bay corner, respectively; the seasonal erosion-accretion volume of the beach profile ranges from −80 m³/m to 95.52 m³/m, and the interannual erosion-accretion volume ranges from −69.09 m³/m to 87.31 m³/m. The response of beaches to typhoons with different paths varies greatly depending on the length, slope, orientation and scale of beach development. The large and gently developing Futou beach is less responsive to storms, while the less developed headlands in the southern Gulei Peninsula are more susceptible to disturbance by external factors and respond more strongly to typhoons. Storm distance is more influential than storm intensity. Under the influence of human activities, obvious erosion hotspots develop during normal weather, but storm processes produce redistribution of beach material patterns, and erosion hotspots disappear after storms. The results of this study enrich the theory of beach dynamics geomorphology and provide technical support for disaster prevention and mitigation, as well as ecological restoration of coastal zones.

Coastal erosion on islands is increasing due to sea level rise, frequent extreme events, and anthropogenic activities. However, studies on the multifactorial coastal erosion risk and the vulnerability of islands are limited. In this study, the Coastal Erosion Risk Assessment (CERA) method was applied for the first time to the study area in China to assess the erosion risk on the coast of Hainan Island; to explore the effects of coastal ocean dynamics, sediment movement characteristics, and anthropogenic construction; and to discuss the suitability of the method and countermeasures for coastal protection. The results show that the coast of Hainan Island shows high sensitivity, high value, low exposure, and moderate erosion. The whole island showed high vulnerability but low erosion risk, with the eastern region being more affected by erosion, particularly the eastern side of Wulong Port and Yalin Bay in Wenchang, and the shore section of Yalong Bay in Sanya, having a very high risk of coastal erosion. In addition, Monte Carlo simulation was used to check the applicability of the CERA method, and it was found that the rate of shoreline change, population density, and number of storms significantly contributed to coastal erosion, but only the short-term effects of sea level rise were considered. The effects of sea level rise and sediment grain size were primarily analyzed as influencing factors. The effects of sea level rise continue to strengthen, with coastal retreat expected to be greater than 2 m by the mid-21st century. Moreover, Hainan Island is primarily composed of the fine and medium sand types, which have little resistance to coastal erosion. Currently, the impact of sediment grain size is rarely considered in coastal erosion risk assessment studies. However, it can be incorporated into the indicator system in the future, and the spatial variation of indicators can be fully considered to strengthen the refinement study.

Based on the measured beach profile data of Sanzhou Bay from 2015 to 2019, an erosion hotspot was identified along the Shanwei coastline of eastern Guangdong, where the maximum retreat distance of the shoreline exceeded 80 m and the erosion rate was more than 20 m/a. To determine the time at which the erosion hotspot started and the potential causes of its formation, this study used 63 Landsat satellite images from 1986 to 2019 to construct a time series of shoreline positions over the past 30 years by extracting their high-tide shorelines. Next, the M-K trend test method was introduced to evaluate the non-linear shoreline behavior based on the single-transect method. The results showed that the time of approximately 2013 marked the start of the erosion hotspot, the erosion hotspot was characterized by erosion rates of more than 2 m/a (a maximum rate of 31.6 m/a), and the affected shoreline more than 4.3 km from 2013 to 2019. Furthermore, this erosion hotspot was proved to be caused by artificial sand mining in the nearshore zone, which destroyed the original beach’s morphodynamic equilibrium. With the aid of storm events, soil cliffs composed of loose sediment on the backshore were sacrificed to achieve a new equilibrium, resulting in an extremely significant retreat parallel to the coast on the west side of the study area, which reflects the combined effect of human and natural processes. This study provides a concrete example of the rapid response of shorelines to artificial sand mining activities, and the associated finding is a stark warning about the cautious development and utilization of coastal zones and the strict regulation of human activities.